Black pika explained
The black pika or silver pika (Ochotona nigritia) is a species of mammal in the family Ochotonidae. It was thought to be common to the Yunnan Province of China[1] where it was first discovered in 2000, it is only known from four specimens. The validity of the species has been questioned, with some studies suggesting that the known specimens represent melanistic individuals of Forrest's pika (Ochotona forresti).[2]
Subsequently, in 2011, a WWF-India team on an expedition to West Kameng, India reported sighting two black pikas at an altitude of 13,000 ft in the Thembang Bapu community-conserved forest area.[3]
It is rarely found, one of the six pika species endemic to central China, with no true population studies.
References
Bibliography
Notes and References
- Web site: Ochotona nigritia - Black pika (Species) . 2011-11-25 . https://web.archive.org/web/20130928225048/http://wildpro.twycrosszoo.org/s/0MLagomorph/Ochotonidae/Ochotona/ochotona_nigritia.htm#Distribution . 2013-09-28 . dead .
- Ge, D. . 2012 . Reevaluation of several taxa of Chinese lagomorphs (Mammalia: Lagomorpha) described on the basis of pelage phenotype variation . Mammalian Biology . 77 . 2 . 113–123 . 10.1016/j.mambio.2011.09.009. etal.
- News: Black pika sighted in Arunachal - WWF-India research team stumbles upon rare mammal at 13000ft. Roopak. Goswami. https://web.archive.org/web/20110717232830/http://www.telegraphindia.com/1110715/jsp/frontpage/story_14241544.jsp . dead . July 17, 2011 . The Telegraph. Ananda Bazaar Patrika . Calcutta. July 15, 2011. July 15, 2011. The WWF members sighted two black pikas in Pangila and Potok areas at an altitude of 13,000 feet on June 22 and 23 while they, along with villagers of Thembang, were conducting surveys in the Thembang Bapu community-conserved forest area in West Kameng district. The survey was part of a project for development of a management plan of the area..
